Deathly Hate
by Felicionem
Summary: SYOT CLOSED. Rated T for blood and violence.
1. Reapings-One and Two

**District One Male**

I go into the kitchen and grab a piece of bread from my Mum's plate of food.

"That's mine!" she snaps.

"It's delicious." I tell her, taking a bite. I can't be bothered to make myself anything, I've got to go. She can make another piece for herself.

"That's not nice son." says Dad, and I shrug my shoulders at him, he's wearing his glasses that make him look like a idiot, his eyes look far too big and his nose looks too small. He's got thin hair just like Mum, I hope I don't look like either of them when I'm older. Or act like them, all they do is work or tidy or worry. It's boring, I want to have fun!

"Reaping is today, it starts in two hours Love." Mum says, making herself another piece of toast, we're more well off then most people, my Mum and Dad work in the plant, making electronics. I was offered a job there, but I didn't want it.

"So?" Why does she need to tell me what I already know? It's so annoying!

"So be there on time." Mum sighs like I'm being difficult, it's her who's difficult, I'm easy to get along with.

"I will!" I say, we have to be there, it's only the reaping. There's one every year and I've never been chosen! Even if I am chosen I could win easy. It's not hard to throw a spear!

Mum sighs for the millionth time and takes a bite of her toast.

"Take a bath, I've set out some new freshly washed clothes for you to wear."

I frown at her, I'm not a baby! I can sort my own clothes!

"I'm going back to bed."

I was up late last night, I was out. I didn't get back till way after dark.

Dad looks like he want to argue, I leave before he can get a chance to tell me what to do!

I go upstairs and throw my blanket over my head and ride to snooze land.

"Jeff." someone shakes me. "Jeff."

"What?!" I growl, recognising the voice as my Mother's.

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" I yell at her, no one is allowed in my room!

"It's time for the reaping Love." I hate it when she calls me that!

"FINE!" I throw throw the blanket off of me and jump up, staring angrily at my Mum until she leave, she's got long mousey brown hair like mine, with lighter parts. She's much smaller than me too and always treats me like a baby.

She's left clothes on my bed, a clean shirt and trousers. I can't be bothered with having a bath, I just pull the clothes on and my hair is too short to brush, I look like a scruffy bad boy, which I am.

I wear my dirty boots with it, adding to my scruffy looks, who wants to look like a nerd anyway? If I'm chosen I want to look tough!

I storm out of the door before Mum has a chance to stop me to clean me up, they're be at the reaping later anyway, along with all the other parents. I have no brothers or sister, which is fine by me, I'd hate to share my room.

At the reaping, it's nearly started, I sign in, just telling the man my name and not stopping, I barge in the front of the seventeen year old section, where all my friends are.

"What's up losers?" I ask them, they all ignore me, too busy with the reaping. My friend Alex gives me a filthy look like he always does.

"Shut up Jeff." snarled Alex as he turns around, we're good friend, this is how we always act. I laugh at him and he insults me!

The reaping is boring, I concentrate on other things, like what I'll do later. Try to get with a girl is top of my list, I can have any girl I want but I haven't found the right one yet. I want to try the ones I like and I'm fussy.

The video is just as boring, except the blood, that's good! Most people squirm and look away at the gory parts whilst I love those parts- they're the best!

She chooses the girl, some eighteen year old who's scared. She looks about as interesting as the video, maybe she'll get better once she's covered in blood. Then they choose the boy's slip and the woman calls out the name, "Jeff Redman."

A smile forms on my lips, this is brilliant! I'll win! And I'll live in luxury! I'll be rich!

I walk up to the front of the stage, grinning wildly. No one looks that sad, which is fine by me because they all think I'll win too!

Next time I see all of them, I'll be the Victor!

**District two, female.**

"Aidan!" I scream very pissed off. He comes in looking relaxed and I hurl a plate as his head, only missing by a few inches.

"I didn't do it." he says causally as he lolls against the wall behind him, staring at me thinking that I'm gone mad.

"You signed up for tessera!" I scream again, hoping he didn't, begging that they got it wrong, pleading that he didn't add his name in another three times!

"Oh that. I did that." he smirks like it's no big deal and I get even more upset.

"Why the hell would you do something like that? We agreed!"

"No." he answers back annoyed, "You told me that you were taking the tessera and I told you you shouldn't!"

My skin burns from being so upset it's hard to get me worked up, I'm calm so often, more often than not but this? This is too much, I'm too tired to process this properly, I got not sleep last night because of the upcoming reaping and he just tells me that he signed up for tessera?

How dare he?

I curl down into a ball onto the floor and place my hands over my hair, ignoring Aidan, taking calming breathes to stop being angry. He comes over and drapes him arm around my shoulder.

"I felt back." he sighs, "That you always try to take tessera and I don't. I just wanted to help you, help us."

I look up at him, my twin brother, my best friend, my worse enemy, my Aidan and smile. "I know."

That's all that I can say, I understand how much he wants to help. Since our parents died when we were nine all we've had is each other and we always want better, want more.

6 years later and we're still wanted better, better food, better lives. Tessera would help, I always take one and we share it between us. There's no one else in our family.

"Another fight?" Andrew, my best friend comes into the kitchen, stepping over the smashed plate carefully, he's got dark blonde hair that falls below his ears and an amazing laugh. The first thing I ever heard him do was laugh, and that was it, he had me hooked on it.

Andrew lives with us, his Mum died 2 years back and we had a spare room, he's Dad died when he was younger and still a baby. He take a slice of bread and takes a bite, chew it for a while as we stare at him and swallows.

"Am I interrupting something?" he ask cheerily and I groan under my breath, he's wearing typical reaping clothing, a clean pressed shirt and black shorts to match with polished boots. He stands taller, six foot with wide broad shoulders and sparkling white teeth that he flashes around whenever he smiles.

Aidan went with a blue shirt to match my dress, I made them both, with grey trousers that cover his shoes underneath, he's almost as short as me, slightly taller and more muscular. Blonde hair that matches mine, the same shade blue eyes with a similar build.

I'm wearing a sky blue dress with lase at the rim, added texture and colour, it makes it look more sophisticated and prettier, the shoes are my friends that I borrowed, a pale blue colour with a few marks at the edge of the top, they're a size too big so they slide around a bit and feel wrong. My blonde hair that hands half way down my back is freshly washed and I've left it loose.

I'm pretty, I know that. I'm curvy in the right places, clear skin and a good soft flirty smile that lights up my elegant blue eyes. I'm glad I look this way, but I don't have a boyfriend, I like to flirt and having a boyfriend would ruin that. Also, new people male me shy.

It's almost time the reaping starts so we all agree to head down together, I realise that we all have our names in there the same amount of times, that worries me until I remember how many other people have more names in there than us, how many names are in there altogether.

Children and their families are walking up as a group, clinging onto each other like they're five. I walk tall and proud but I understand. Maybe if my Mother was still alive I would be clinging to her as well like them. But she's not so I walk on my own for now.

The reaping is crowded, people bet on whether or not there will be volunteers or not. Since Two is not allowed to train tributes necessarily, all trained volunteer are kept mostly secret from the rest of us. Word gets around a lot, but I've heard nothing about volunteering as a girl.

The boy I have heard about, D- something. Dan? Dave? Yes, I think his name was Dave. I shall find out soon enough. That is why Aidan and Andrew are more relaxed, a boy and girl volunteer almost every year here in Two. We untrained children are safer than most. But it doesn't stop us from being scared, of course we are scared. Anything could happen.

Everyone's faces reflect how I feel, lot, alone, scared. We sign in quickly, finding our names on a piece of paper. Then I have to leave Aidan and Andrew, something I don't want to do. They leave with one last look of reassurance and worry, trying to hide their doubt, their worry but it seeps through their every cell.

I make my way through the crowd, getting pushed and working my through all the bodies. All I can think is, 'one of us, it could be any one of us'.

Someone must get chosen,it has to be this way.

A tall girl shoves me to the floor, stopping to help me to get up. She's my age, with greeny eyes and pinked cheeks, looking embarrassed. I thank her while she apologises, before turning back to her friend.

"I'm worried about my sister." she says worriedly.

I know how hard it must be to have another sibling in the reaping, I empathise with blonde tall girl, at least Aidan is safer with the boys and with Andrew. I have very few girls as friends, I find boys easier to talk too, with boys who look at me, I know they like me, girls are harder to read. They'll either like me or hate me because they're jealous.

Someone points to the stage as the mayor takes to it, her blonde hair is styled and better looking, glossy. Everyone's attention is turned to her, including my own.

Questions pop into my mind like; what happens if I am reaped?

What happens if Aidan is reaping? Or Andrew?

What if two of us are?

Who will it be?

We listen to the history of Panem, which most of us know off by heart, about challenges and problems and the possibilities. All very make-believe and fantasy about peace, we were never at peace with the Capitol. We were just taking a break from the war because Thirteen was gone.

They destroyed a whole district, and torn the rest of us down with them.

The escort, a man with bright green and sunny yellow striped hair and face walks on to the stage, clacking along to the girl's bowl.

"May the odds be ever in your favour!" he announces to all of us, before picking one of the top slips of paper. I hold my breath and hope.

"Ester Weasee!" he announces happily and someone screams. No one knows who it is, but I do. My mouth opens in shock when I see the girl getting moved towards the stage by the crowd, trying to help her. She's tiny, with short choppy blonde hair and a hollow face, skinny with no food. I know her from the orphanage, she's twelve.

Someone has to volunteer for her, I think, not her.

Then I hear it, "I volunteer!" is yelled out.

Only the words come from my own mouth.

**District Two, male.**

A tiny girl sprints across the training centre, she arrived a week ago, a new year of Games winners. She fast, but not fast enough for her trainers liking, because they scream abuse at her.

Her tiny pink face crumbles, she stares blankly at them for a second then starts to run again, pumping her arms to get herself to move faster. She's only eight, one of the youngest here, she'll be trained until she's eighteen, when she'll then volunteer, just like I'm going to do today.

At seventeen, I'm a year too soon but what the hell? I can beat everyone with one arm if I had too, and my eyes shut. A trainee throws a spear at the dummy I'm near, unless they missed which is unlikely I'm, still safe but it annoys me. I storm over to the dummy and wrench out the spear, which has pierced the heart and throw it at the boy, misses him by an inch. He cowers away from it, if I wanted him to be dead he would be, I would only have to want to hit him properly.

It's what I want that happens.

"Wimp!" I scream angrily at me as I storm, away, throwing my arms up in the air to show how stupid he is. I hate the trainees, filled with so much happiness and glee, I was never like them, I trained hard all the time, I concentrated on what I had to do. My target was and always is to win the Games.

"Dave!" someone yells my name and I ignore them, knowing who it will be.

"Dave, don't you dare ignore me you son of a-" she yells and I whip around.

"What?!" I ask, coming face to face with Nicky, brown hair that hangs down just above her green dying eyes, tall and slim, sexy as anything. She frown at me, a devilish stare.

"Don't bother." I spit out, "I already know what you're going to tell me."

Hurt registers on her face, covered by pure hatred.

"That's it?" she yells at me. "After everything that's it?"

"I'm sorry!" I say sarcastically, "I'm glad you chickened out! It's fantastic I no longer have an ally in the Games, because you dropped out!"

She slaps me hard across my cheek, I take a step backwards, muttering furiously.

"I did not chicken out. I'm still gunna train aren't I? I'll win next year!"

"Great, I'll have a neighbour in the victor's village! Seriously Nicky, it's fine, but if I get killed, know it's your fault you made me train as a team. I can win without you." I snap and start to walk away, catching Nicky whispering words I don't have any answer to me, I don't care, I'll win on my own. Only one of us could come out of the Games anyway, and I always wanted it too be me.

Just because her older sister had a baby, she wants to be around her. A baby? Why on earth would she want to a screaming child all the time? I hate babies and so does Nicky, she told me.

She's just scared of volunteering, what a wimp. I thought she was braver and better than those pathetic children from the other districts, who cry at the fact they're going to die. Nothing wrong with dying, they have the chance to be the Victor! To bring honour and riches to their district! They should be thankful!

But they break down and die as snivelling babies, it makes me sick when I watch the Games.

I see a boy, about twelve walking down the corridor and I shove him into the wall, he makes a bang as he falls onto the floor. He jumps up quickly, and glares at me, pulling back when he actually sees me. He couldn't beat me, I'm muscular, taller and hard. He couldn't even make a bruise.

He scuttles off like a good little boy and I carry on walking, slamming the door shut when I get into my room. I pick up a lamp from the side, a green one and smash it against the wall as hard as I can. Glass pieces fall like rain to the floor and I leave them there, it's my last day living at the training centre, because after I win the Games I'll finally have my own house, bigger and so much nicer than this crap.

It's painted a deep green, with a brown sofa. It's never been painted since I've been living here when I was a kid, only seven. My parents were traitors and killed by peacekeepers, good riddance to them, I'm better here- stronger.

But I hate it, I hate the size, I hate the food, packed with energy and no taste, I hate the way they tell me what to do. I want to hurt the trainers, they make me so angry and I hate them. I loathe the very though of them, I can't wait to leave this place. That's why I'm not waiting another year.

I take a short shower, wash my jet black hair and get dressed into my reaping outfit that has been made for me. It's okay, makes me look too neat for my liking. They laid out a brush for my hair as well but I leave that, smoothing it down with my hand then leaving it how it is. Nothing wrong with it.

I check myself in the mirror, I look sharp, fit and strong. The only part of myself I hate is my bright blue eyes, they make me look 'sweet' the colour, they're too girly and nice. I try to frown but they still don't look dark enough.

There's no one to say goodbye to at the centre, I hate everyone here.

Most of all I hate Nicky, for being too scared and leaving me.

Well when I'm rich and famous she'll come running back, and I won't want her. I'll have loads of girls running at me, I won't want her at all. I can have anyone.

My black clothes makes me fit in well at the centre, most people wear black to strike fear, the colour of death. I walk right out and don't look back.

Outside, people stare at me. If anyone knows who I am, they'd be smart enough to look away, but I let them look at the moment, I'm not going to stop just to get into a fight right now.

Lots of people are already at the reaping, I sign in quickly, not taking to anyone. I take my place near the front, just behind the eighteen year olds who stand there, I'm taller than most of them so I stand out even then. I wait for the mayor to take to the stage, telling is the history of the Games. It's a story they have to tell.

After too long a wait, they finally get the girl reapings. I can't help thinking how Nicky should be volunteering soon, but she's not going too. Whoever is chosen is young, I know that much because most people turn around to look at her. I wait for her to hurry up.

"I volunteer!" someone yells desperately and my heart sinks, I turn to see if I can see Nicky, did she change her mind? But it's not her, it's another girl, with long blonde hair and very short. She walks out to the front, while someone else screams. A sister? A friend? A boy pushes past me, who I recognise as her brother, a twin properly. They look so similar it's impossible for them not to be related. He rushes past me and hangs over the rope at the front.

She looks at him when she turns around on stage, and I see that she's struggling not to cry. Another wimp I think. She stole Nicky's job, she volunteered! I can't work with her!

They ask for her name and she sounds more confident, "Angelaya Martain."

"Now onto the boys!" chirps the man at the front with stupid green hair as he picks out a name.

"Aidan-" he starts but I don't give him the chance to finish.

"I volunteer!" I yell out to everyone boastfully. I run up to the stage and turn to all the faces staring up at me, "Dave Tibuk." I announce with a sly grin.

The man shakes my hand as the anthem plays. I search for Nicky in the audience, wanting to see if she's regretting not volunteering. I see her brown hair, her pale face is looking right at me, her eyes pouring at my inside. I stare at her, wondering why.

Then she looks away from me and I see her moving back. I tear my eyes away and look at the other female tribute, she holds her hand out to mine. I take it, crushing it a bit too hard as I shake.

I want her to know she should be scared. For me to win, she first must die.

Note: I own no rights, all rights belong to Suzanne Collins. :)


	2. Reapings- Four and Six

**District Four Male. **

Lucy runs her hand down my open chest and kisses me gently on the lips knowing I won't change my mind.

"Please." she whispers huskily into my ear, her soft breath tickling it. "Please." she pleads again. I take both her wrists and kiss each one in turn.

"Baby, I can do this. I'm fully trained, I'm ready, okay? I thought you supported me."

That's not a question, Lucy and I have already spoken about this many times, the conversation always heads in the same direction, Lucy has never wanted me to go to the Games, she only accepts that I want too.

"Cohan-" she starts but I cut her off with a kiss, lingering to ovoid the topic, today is the reaping and I will volunteer, it's simple in my eyes, it's always been simple in my eyes. The training company, who has clothed, fed and trained me for the last 11 years is certain that I can do this, I owe them my life and that's exactly what I'm going to give them.

Lucy takes a deep breath, tears streaming down her gorgeous face, blonde golden hair blowing around it, her mix of blue and green eyes watching me. "Your Dad will be there next year."

I drop her wrists like they're on fire and burning my hands.

"Look Lucy, I've told you, I'm not going just to meet my Dad!" Anger showing in my voice Lucy backs down, knowing I'm not good when I'm angry, only Lucy can bring out my quiet self who is happy not training. She runs her fingers down my cheek, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

She's the one that makes saying goodbye so hard, that makes me want to stay, darling Lucy who watches me train though she hates it, sits with me while I revise Games strategies, takes me swimming and teaches me how to have a good time.

"I have to go." she sighs, "Find me at the reaping?"

There are slightly dark shadows under her eyes, she hasn't been sleeping very well for the last few weeks, ever since I announced that I would be the tribute for these forthcoming Games, at the age of seventeen. In reality, I could wait until next year but I don't want too, it's pointless. The Games won't be any easier then, I'm already the best aim, shot and strongest in my class.

My height help, I'm 6 foot two and still growing rapidly, I'm one of the longest trainees there are at the academy and I practise the most, one of the advantages of living there.

I kiss Lucy goodbye, promising to find her later.

To start with, all the training was fun, I was in power, people watched me with open eyes, unable to take their eyes off me, one of the best parts. As I got older, I realised all the advantages, money, strength, girls. Lots of girls. Since I was Twelve the longest I've gone without having a girlfriend is two weeks, none of them were special, just girls to watch me and tell me how good I was.

The longest girlfriend I'd ever had was a month, that was a particular hot girl called Jackie, who had very blonde hair and a huge chest on her, she was easy, far too easy. I liked some of the challenges, girls at school from higher years, ones with boyfriends, I became known as the heart-breaker who dumped girls after encouraging them to break up with their boyfriends. I didn't, and still don't care, they were dumb enough to believe me.

I'm happy to say that I'm no longer like that, Lucy has been my girlfriend for the last year and I've been faithful. The day we met was when she joined our school, from further down Four in land, she was carrying so many books and I took them for her to impress another girl. Lucy snatched them all back, hitting me hard in the chest while she was at it, leaving me standing bewildered in the hall way. She turned around and mouthed, 'Not a chance' with a sexy grin and walked off. It took her 5 months before she'd even have a conversation with me, even then it was after school and not around people.

A year afterwards, I was sixteen and she was fifteen we were good friends, another month later we were dating, and I was in heaven. I carry Lucy's books all the time and I can talk to her in hall ways at school, though I only go once a week and then it's only to learn the history of the Games.

My house comes into sight, a figure waiting outside the door, waving lazily. As I approach, I see the unmistakable girl waiting outside, short golden hair, blue eyes, freckles, over six foot tall, catching me up.

"One of these reapings, you'll have to pick out your own clothes." she calls to me laughing, I ask for her help every year.

"My last one I promise!" I yell back as she steps into my house, part of the academy, where my brother and I live. He's twelve, and was born a few weeks before Mum died in a boating accident, leaving my Dad to cope with us both. After a year of trying, he gave up and left his two sons one day, one only a year old, me at seven, we had to go into care, where the academy found me, already fit and strong. My Dad was caught apparently, sneaking over the borderline, he was sentenced at the Capitol to become an Avox, a Capitol slave with no tongue forced to work for them. I've not seen him since.

Skye, my best friend flounces around the kitchen, clearing away bowls and plates from breakfast for me.

"Stop it Skye." I tell her, nut she just gives me a look that tells me she's going to do what she likes.

"Nervous?" she asks me, and I smile at her.

"Course not. You?" I reply with a care free attitude, this is my day to shine, my day to enter everything I've prepared for.

"Not really, there's bound to be a volunteer right?" she tenses slightly, of course she's not worried for herself, she's strong and would have an ally.

"Cornelia Giles, she's the female volunteer this year I should think, she's been training for years and she's eighteen."

She smiles thanks to me, her little sister's second reaping is today, only thirteen and in there twice, but that's enough, worse things have happened. I'm not going to tell her that Cornelia Giles is nineteen now, she went to volunteer last year but was beaten too it by another girl, she was furious. But Skye doesn't need to know that, the chance of her sister Becca getting chosen are slim.

Skye runs upstairs and calls me up, she's searching through my wardrobe and she pulls out a clean pale blue shirt and black trousers, "Wear these, they'll look good, trust me."

I pour myself a bath and when I get out Skye is gone. I pulls on the cloths, the trousers do look good and I leave the last few buttons of the shirt undone to look better, leaving the shirt untucked. I've got the same golden hair as most people from four, it's long and my eyes are a sea blue colour, my oval face and incredible muscles that set me apart from all the others. I admire myself in the mirror before running downstairs, Matthew is sat waiting for me, looking very nervous.

"You'll be fine Matt, I'm volunteering remember?" I perk his chin up and he smiles warily.

"I'm worried about you." he mutters as we leave for the reaping.

"Everything will be fine, when I win I'll get one of those huge houses like we always wanted."

"Like you. Like you've always wanted. I'm fine with that house." he complains bitterly.

"If I wasn't doing this we wouldn't have that house okay?" I snap, then sigh at him. "I'll come back soon, don't worry." I need Matt to know I'm doing this for him, so we can have a better life.

He doesn't say anything, but after we sign in he gives me a hard long hug before disappearing into the crowd. Lucy arrive a few minutes later and comes over to me, not saying a word her hand finds mine and she holds it for dear life all through the opening part of the reaping. I feel far away, like I'm just watching it all. It's only when they call out the boy's name that I remove my hand from Lucy, who's in tears already, and walk up to the front of the crowd.

A wave of fear sweeps over me but I push it down, knowing this has to happen. It's right here and now. My life in two words.

"I volunteer!" I yell to Four as I take to the stage, the boy never had the chance to come up so they ask my name.

"I'm Cohan Dereme," I say loudly with a grin, "And I'm going to win!"

* * *

**District Four, Female**

Water washes through my air, a salty taste rolls over my tongue, so familiar, so refreshing. I swim a few strokes underwater, enjoying the splashing sound that echoes through my head like always, feeling free and at home, before resurfacing to the open cold wind.

My hair covers my eyes so I push it behind my ear, I should have tied it up I realise, but I forgot today. I float around for a bit, not wanting to swim to shore. Birds fly above me, in the crystal blue sky. I know that I will be late for the reaping, that I must go home now but I don't want too, I'm scared of my parents pity looks that burn my inside, my Mother's hidden sadness because two of her children could be reaped today. Soon, it will be possible for Lilac to be reaped too.

I spit out water from my mouth and swim to where I can stand, I'm cold now, my toes are numb and I wiggle them to remind them they're still there. My hair is a tangled mess, my face is pink and white from the cold, I look terrible.

I'd never claim to be pretty, but that isn't something I care about. My hair isn't very thick or long, my eyes are a bland brown that matches my hair and my freckles that dot all over my face, I'm not weak like most of the girls, I'm well built. No one this matters, except that people tend not to talk to me that much.

Girls like other pretty girls, as do boys. If they got to know me, they might like me, like all my other friends. Today at the reaping I have people to worry about.

I walk out of the sea, feeling over exposed in a tiny bikini that keeps me cool when it's hot on the beach, the sand burns my feet as it sticks to the heels. The boiling sun heats up the water on my skin and I feel warmer as I make my way to my friend, who is waiting for me with my clothes.

"Mel! We're going to be late!" Lauren sighs, not really angry, she hates the reaping as much as I do and she's safer, I took tessera!

"Let's go." I tell Lauren, she's much prettier than me, with golden hair that goes down to her shoulders, it's shorter than mine but thicker. Her's isn't wavy like mine, when it's wet mine tends to go really frizzy. She's got tanned skin too, with long legs and a nice smile. Compared to me, she looks beautiful.

Lauren hands me my clothes and a towel and I pull them on quickly, not taking off my bikini so they get wet. It's only a light blue dress with fluffed sleeves and flip flops. Light, they'll dry quickly.

We make our way quickly to my house, only to find it's locked. I'll have to wear my dress. Lauren straightens it for me, gives me a band to tie my hair up because it's so messy, we could do with a brush, but Lauren lives on the other side of Four, we'd never make it in time.

"You look fine." Lauren assures me as we jog to the reaping, hurriedly signing in. My brother Danny will already be here by now, no wishing him look now. We make our way to our section just as the mayor is getting up, looking elegant and rich.

I stand out a lot here, everyone is washed and looking perfect, whist I look an absolute mess. Even Lauren is wearing her proper reaping clothes, a long white dress and a pearl necklace that glitters in the light. Her hair is brushed and styled to look neat and tidy.

I find my friend Cameron in the crowd, she gives me a hug. She has curly dark brown hair and is almost as tall as me. She's wearing a light red dress that's almost pink and looks beautiful, she looks at me questionably at the site of my summer dress and hair but I shrug it off, it doesn't matter what I'm wearing really, if I'm reaped I'm dead anyway.

Suddenly, I'm think of my brother Liam, who's eighteen and his name is in there twenty one times, and how the odds are looking bad, there could be a volunteer, we have one almost every year. But it could be this one year, the year he could be reaped that there isn't.

I pinch up my arm to calm me down, knowing that if I'm in pain it's real, quickly my arm is covered in small pink splodges. I stare up at the glossy stage, where the woman, Petunia, has just walked to the front of the stage. I panic at what she is going to do. I can't bare this, not today.

Fear floods through me like the sea, knocking me back. Some thing's not right, I can feel it. I can't stay here today, I have to go.

My breathing thickens as I try to think straight. This feels all wrong, I should be wearing my reaping clothes, or swimming, or be anywhere but here. My stomach rolls around inside of me as I struggle to breathe.

"I can't." I choke out, Lauren and Cameron grab hold of both my arms to keep me up as things start to spin and slow down.

Spin. Spin. Round and round. I feel sick. I need to lie down. I have to get out of here.

"Mel!" Lauren gives my shoulder a little shake, to wake me up, my eyes feel so heavy and something is n my throat, I'm choking and dying. I can't breathe. Lauren says my name as I try to break her grip on me. Then someone else yells my name.

"Mel Eddie!" the voice cries out, too happily, too nice. I search for them, not knowing the sound. Lauren's grasp drops as she begins to cry, Cameron's green eyes fill with tears as she looks at me.

Then I understand, it was Petunia who said my name.

I'm going to the Games.

The world stops spinning, I stumble away from Lauren, who is crying into Cameron's shoulder and I walk into the path that the other children have made for me.

It's not Cameron or Lauren.

They're safe because of me.

In a state of shock and confusion, I make my way up to the stage, where Petunia pats my back. "Wonderful!" she pipes out it that stupid accent. I stare out at everyone in the crowd, at least some of them look up set.

Maybe I can win, maybe I can be the Victor the voice in my head tells me.

That voice is a liar.

* * *

**District Six Male**

I sip a lukewarm cup of tea, I left it for far too long. It taste sour and the taste hangs in my mouth. I'm not hungry to eat anything. I hear a knock at the door, but I ignore it, today is always the hardest day for me.

Another knock.

I take another sip of tea, hoping whoever it is will take the hint and get lost, company is not something I am craving today. A crash comes from the kitchen and I jump up and run in, only to see Anna climbing through my open kitchen window, a smashed plate lying on the floor in pieces.

"Why did you climb through my window?" I snap at her, she stands up, she's shorter than me but got the same short temper, she's taking none of my grumpiness.

"Why did you lock your door?" She picks up the pieces from the floor, kicking them under my table as well, making a huge mess. I sigh grumpily, wishing she'd go away. This isn't what I want today, no today.

"Stop being so mad, if you wanted me to be nice, you should have let me in or got Anchor to come round to protect you."

Anchor is my other best friend, he's nice and quiet, something I adore about him. He'd never climb through my window just to annoy me. He'd take the locked door hint.

"I don't need protecting!" I snap again, folding my arms protectively.

She grins, a huge open grin that usually cheers me up, "Yeah, you really do."

Turning away from her, I hear a small curse leave her mouth.

"Stop it Anna, I'm not in the mood."

"Of course not Cal, you're never in the mood!" she says angrily, "Every single year you're not in the mood, you fall apart and I'm the one who has to pick up the pieces." she throws all the plate shards at me, "It's been six years Cal, you need to let it go."

Anyone else I'd hate, anyone else but Anna I'd despise for saying those things.

"He was my brother!" I roar at her, I'm too angry to stop now, I want to hate Anna, I want to fall apart.

"And she was my sister." Tears fall from her eyes as she stand defeated, but I haven't won, I feel worse than ever. Any angry at Anna fades as I think of the tiny nine year old version of her, the one who's older sister was reaped along side my brother and she couldn't cry. I did but she didn't, it was all that kept me with hope as we sat and watched together as our brother and sister arrived, went on the chariot ride, trained, and then finally paired up in the Games.

Both of them were killed, neither ever made it home, we lost them both. That's how I got to know Anna, because we were two scared children who needed each other. She refuses to let me see her cry even now, she wipes her eyes harshly and say quietly.

"Do you want me to go?"

I shake my head and walk to her, "Never." I hold her in my arms, comforting her because she understands, we both hurt all the time and that doesn't go away, Anna is just stronger than me.

"It will be all right." she says softly into my ear, "It's only another reaping."

I take a step back, at fifteen, we're both be in that bowl four times, but we both took tessera so we're both in there eight times. Eight pieces of paper hold our names on them, eight chances to be picked.

"Have you washed?" Anna asks me and I have to say no.

"Got clothes ready?"

"Yeah, I sorted them out."

Anna's reaping clothes are beautiful, a long dark green skirt and a white fluffy and stuck out shirt, the skirt matches her bright green eyes and dark black hair. It's the opposite to my light blonde hair, of course hers is much longer but Anna always jokes that I'm catching up to her. She's wearing a big green bow in her hair as well, which matches perfectly. I don't sat anything about it though, I just walk up to my bathroom after saying thank you.

I run a small bath and pour the water over my head, rubbing home made soap through it, which smells sweet. It's too girly for my liking.

I don't have any parents to look after me, Anna looks after me sometimes, making sure I dress properly at the reapings but she has a short patience and I give her a lot of crap. My parents died when I was younger, my brother always looking after me, which is why it hurt so much when he died. It was like losing my Dad, my brother and my best friend all at the same time.

I feel bad about how I treat Anna on days like this, most of the time I'm nice to her. She's so lovely, so kind to me. At this point, Anna knocks on my door and it opens slightly. She throws in my clothes, not looking round the door and shouts as she shits the door again, "Your clothes."

I forgot I'd have to go and get them, Anna must be in my room right now, that's not too bad, she's been in there plenty of times before. It's clean my bedroom, like the rest of the cottage, it's not very big but it's cosy. It belonged to my parents, and then my brother and now me.

I climb out the bath, dry myself quickly and pulls on the clothes I got out. They were my brothers, a white shirt and an open black jacket with plain black trousers. They're a little damp but they'll dry. I walk out the bath room and Anna wolf-whistles.

"Shouldn't I be the one doing that to you?" I ask jokily and she grins, this time, I smile back.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't." she's sat on my bad, leafing through an old book, handwritten. I sit down on the other side, leaning against the wall and watching her, she places the book down and comes to sit next to me, leaning against the wall.

"Do you think they might have still been here? If they weren't reaped?"

It takes a second to realise that Anna is talking about Mark and Suzie.

"Why wouldn't they be?" I ask her back, avoiding the question.

"People die all the time, they might have too."

She looks up at me, expecting an answer, her green eyes searing into my own blue ones. She look so sad and lost and it springs to mind that this would be a good time to lean down and kiss her.

That's what I do, I lean down and press my lips against her forehead.

"We should go." I whisper sadly and she gets up waiting for me to follow. I get up too, and we get out from my house. Most people are heading the same way as us, most are quiet, nervous and worried. Anna keeps close to me, and I run everything through my head at what I can say to make things easier.

Nothing, there's absolutely nothing I can say to make things any better. No words can promise her that she's safe from the reaping.

More people come into the lines of children as we reach the town centre, where we have to sign in. The woman demands our names and ages.

"Callum Sting." I say, "Fifteen."

She finds my name ion the list and crosses it out, looking expectingly at Anna.

"Anna Gio, fifteen." she mutters loudly, giving the woman an evil look of hate.

"Boys to the right, girls to the left."she says simply, and she asks the next person for their names, Anna holds back when we move away, not wanting to join the boys. She looks at me, scared and frightened.

"Anna, we've got to get in line." I say kindly, knowing this is hard. She nods dizzily, like she's not concentrating on me.

"Right, bye then." I say, "See you afterwards."

Again, she nods and walks towards the girls, where she is greeted by some of her other friends from school, I'm glad she is not alone. Being here brings back those bad memories, where I stood at the back with no one, wanting my brother to be safe. When his name was called out, I tried to go to him, only someone wouldn't let me. I don't remember who.

I had to say goodbye to him that day, I had half an hour to tell him to win, knowing I was on my own. He told me I'd be okay, that he'd come back for me and I was forced to leave. On my way out, a girl of my won age, with thick messy black hair walked out the room next to my brother, her dark eyes were surrounded by red and puffy skin, she was pale and sickly looking.

Her eyes met mine, and then darted away. She ran off into the arms of her Mum and left me standing there, alone and confused.

It was two days later we finally spoke to each other, we needed somebody else who understood and our young mind found each other's pain a comfort.

I stand with all the other boys my age, not paying any attention to anyone. Anchor pats my back and I face him. He's wearing a clean blue shirt and grey shorts, scrubbed and shaved. He smiles at me.

"Hey Man, you okay?" he asks, his deep voice louder than most people's.

"Sure, nervous?"

"Bit, have you seen Anna?"

"She broke into my house this morning, she's worried. Bad day."

Anchor nods understandably, and then we both watch the stage, where our mayor has started to talk.

"This video is brought to you from the Capitol." he says and gestures to the huge screen at the side, the same one we all watch the Games on every year. It's filled with all the bad things the districts did, our traitors being executed, our children being killed, then ends with a picture of Snow, looking shining and perfect, standing among ashes.

"And now, a new age of peace begins!" Snow tells us with his unforgiving eyes.

The Capitol escort from every year skips on stage, clapping her polished hands. She';s chubby, with pink and white hair, a pale white face and pink cheeks and lip stick. Her name is Pink, whether that's her real name is a mystery still.

"Wonderful!" she giggles, "Wonderful!" Another giggle.

"Shall we prepare to choose our two courageous and brave tributes this year?" she giggles again. I hate her.

"May the odds be ever in your favour!"

Her hand dives into the girl's bowl, almost filled to the top the papers, I cross my fingers and hope for anyone name's other than...

"Anna Gio!"

A no escapes my mouth, people move for me as I push my way to see her better, tears are running down her cheek, she hasn't moved from her spot, she stands frozen.

Anchor stands next to me, we both don't know what to do, we're trapped, stranded here.

"Move." I whisper to myself, wanting Anna to go because Peacekeeper are coming to move her up to the stage. They reach her and she fights them, her frozen body turns wild as she tries to get them to let her to go. Two grab her arms and start to pull her to the front.

Her dark green eyes, already red find my own and her lips form my name. But then she moves past me and they take her to the stage, practically dropping her at the floor. She gets up quickly and stands defeated, lost and frightened as she looks out at everyone.

"And the boys!" Pink giggles once more, dropping her hand into the boy's reaping bowl and plucking out a name. I don't even have enough time to hope for Anchor's safety before she calls out the name.

"Callum Sting!"

There's no hesitation from me, maybe I already suspected it, or am too in shock to care but I walk up to the stage without glancing at Anchor, Anna's face is heart-breaking, more tears are falling from her face as I reach her, immediately she comes to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and weeping into my shoulder.

"Our tributes from District Six!" giggles Pink once more and I turn Anna around forcefully and hold up our hands together.

I'm determined that this year, unlike what happen with my brother and Anna's sister, we;ll have a chance at coming home.

One of us at least.

**Hope you like the second lot of the reapings! One more lot to go! Please read and review! :) **


	3. Reapings- Seven and Nine

**District seven, female. **

I wake up far too early, even earlier than I normally do, but it's not surprising that most houses already have lights on. Of course most kid's should be riddled with nightmares and fear of today's reaping, I'm not, I'm in their once. One slip holds my name in that bowl of thousands.

I know there's little chance of me getting picked out of that bowl, which is why I'm worried. Here in Seven, we never get volunteers, but what if this year someone beats me too it? I can't wait another year, another long long year. It has to be this year!

I get out of bed and slip on a jumper over my pyjamas, the old soft fabric rubbing against my bare arms and hunt for some descent food downstairs, a piece of bread with only a few specks of green on it that I pick out. It's not like the Capitol wouldn't be able to fix me up.

A hole in my wall blows a cold chill into the air, the house is older then me, made in the poorest part of seven from mud, straw and stones. It's crumbling around me as I sit and munch bread. A breakfast of stale mouldy bread is better than an empty stomach, even if I don't want to throw up at the Reaping, not a good way to start to participating in the Games.

My house is empty apart from me, the way I used to like it. I never had any brothers or sister, thank goodness. They would have hated it in this house just as much as I do, even now when my parents aren't here it brings back haunting memories, I trace down my arm, thinking and thinking.

Do I really want to do this?

But this is my year, my year! Of course I want to do this, I've wanted to do this ever since I understood the rules of the Hunger Games. Swinging my axe over my shoulder, I duck under my front door, the house looks even worse from the outside, a sickly coloured grey and brown mix with a disguising yellow straw roof, even the grass outside has been trodden on so many times that it's a dead green colour where the tiny patches of grass spill through the mud. None of this matter.

I storm into the depth of the woods, where my supervisor is waiting for people to show up, most people have the day off, but some of us said we'd do the work, I volunteered. Nothings worse than sitting at home just waiting for the seconds to tick by when we get to prepare for the Reaping.

"Amelia, you're early." Winnie, my boss, states openly and I turn the sides of my mouth up into a half smile, I'm not known for being friendly. At work, I'm hostile and I rarely bother to lift my head in school, nobody talks to me, I'm not even called names like some of the other students, I'm invisible, left alone, the girl everyone forgets. Half the people don't even know my name, no matter how close they sit to me. At lunch, I find a quiet lost corner and sit there to eat, out of everybody's way. At the reaping, everyone will watch me volunteer and wonder who I am.

My size helps my invisible personalty, I'd talk to people if they did to me but that's it. I won't go begging for friends, I'm fine alone. Silence is my friend, rather than hectic loudness.

My axe makes a reasonable dent into the thick trunk of the tree, not the best by not the worse. I have good arms muscles, years of swinging axes, but I'm weak, I can't carry the logs around with me or climb up to the higher trees because I can't support my own weight most of the time. 7 swings later and the smaller tree trunk is down, lying on the floor with in the grass and I move swiftly onto the next.

Hours pass without me feeling the time until Winnie taps me on the shoulder mid swing.

"Hour till the reaping." she says then walks away, Winnie isn't friendly either to me, she has 15 other people to watch over without trying to make friends with me, not that bothers me. Without thanking her, I wipe the sweat off my forehead and jog back to my house, sun high in the cloud, beating down on me. I rush a bath, brushing my hair but leaving it loose, it's so light it could almost be white but my eyes are a deep brown that could almost be black. Shows my insides, my eyes equal death and darkness.

I'm a wispy little thing my Mother would tell me as she brushed my hair, it curls ever so slightly at the ends, I have pale pink lips and cheeks to match, pale white skin and tiny ear. I can be pretty, like now I make an effort. If I'm going to be on television I want people to want to see me, not turn their faces away in discus.

I wear the only dress I have that belonged to my Mother, her wedding dress. It hangs down just below my knees, with a small ruffled edge, a black ribbon is knotted into my hair to clash with my eyes. It's a typical reaping outfit, sweet, innocent and pretty. I stare at myself for a few minutes in a mirror, a crack down the side of it, cutting away some of my face, I'm noticeable at the very least. I smooth down the front of the dress, hoping for it to suddenly make it look like the same dress my Mum wore.

She had light blonde hair, not as light as mine with a bright shade of blue eyes, pale skin like me but the dress she wore for her wedding was beautiful, she looked like a woman whilst I look like a child dressing up, she rubbed berry juice onto her pink lips to give them more colour and twirled her hair up into a bun like they do in the Capitol. Seven is one of the only districts that use the Capitol's tradition of having a white wedding dress, most other use anything pretty.

I sigh and slip on a pair of blue shoes, with tiny white bows on them, from two years ago. I have to curl up my toes just to fit my feet in but it's not that bad once the feeling in my feet goes, there are worse pains. Again, my fingers start to skim the uneven skin on my arm from habit, and that I'm nervous.

Ducking back under my front door, not bothering to look back at the what remains of my house, I walk steadily down to the reaping, clenching onto what will be my token for the Games, watching all the other children. A girl, in my class is holding hands with her little sister who is crying. I don't know the girl very well, only that her name is Lulu, if I had known her better I might have spoken to her and promised her I was going to volunteer no matter who got picked. Lulu bends down and kisses the top of her sister's head. First reapings are hard.

Signing in, I follow Lulu to my section where I stand with all the other girls, no one talks to me as we wait. I take in deep breaths that seem to make me more out of breath, I tell myself that I know my fate, I will go to the Games.

Vanessa, the escort takes to the stage, wearing a bright green frock that could fit three people in it at least, with so many layers I can't count them from here. My mind races as the mayor speaks, and it's time to draw the tributes, girl's first.

Vanessa's hand claws around the bowl and I wonder who it will be for as second and then Vanessa calls loudly out the name, "Sephy Sweep!" with a huge grin, my tongue goes dry and I choke on thin air as I open my mouth. Doubt washes through me as I go to volunteer, what am I doing? I have nothing to live for, that doesn't mean I want to die! My parents are both gone, I have no one.

But the idea of the Games terrifies me, what painful way I will meet my death, how everyone will see me.

All this rushes through my head in a moment, a moment for Sephy's younger sister to run forward and cling to her screaming for her sister. Sephy has someone to live for.

I don't.

I step out into the gap into the middle of the the children, eyes fall on me as I turn to look at Sephy, an eighteen year old and the tiny child sobbing in her arms, like I would do with my Mum. A single tear slips down my cheek as I announce.

"I volunteer as the female tribute."

Gasps make their way around the crowd, no one has seen this before, a volunteer from Seven.

Especially one who is only Twelve.

* * *

**District 9 Female**

The bell rings for school to end early, and I immediately panic. End of the day means the reaping is closer, something I've been dreading for weeks. Georgie's first reaping. At Twelve, her name is only in there once so she's as safe as anyone cam get but I'm still worried, after all, only one name needs to be picked out for the tribute to die.

And Nine has only ever had 3 Victors before, the odds are not in our favour to win at all. I guess 23 people have to die, so the odds aren't really in anyone's favour.

I lag behind of the group of people, preferring to stay out of the reaping conversation, talking about how many times my name is in there- twenty four, that's how many times mine is in there. And I'm only fifteen, I had to take tessera for my two younger sisters, my Dad and myself.

We're extremely poor, like almost every other district, we live in the outskirts of town, in a small shack which is older than my parents and falling to pieces. Teresa for us equals the difference between starvation and living, but more names in the reaping for me could equal the difference between living and dying.

I refused to let Georgie to take any tessera, wanting her to stay safe and hoping I've done enough to do so. She means the world to me, I can't let her get hurt. My friend Tom runs up to meet me at the front of our tiny school. It's raining, making the day look bleak and depressing, reflecting most people's moods.

Tom's dark hair is falling over his blue eyes as it's soaking wet, making his look strange. I reach up at push his hair back for him, only so he can shake it out to cover his eyes again. He grins.

"Stop being so happy, it's the reaping." I tell him, because he should be as scared as I am.

"And being sad isn't going to stop me from being reaping!" he argues, he's too optimistic about the whole thing.

"Aren't you scared?" Tom has his own little brother who's just old enough to be reaped, it was his twelfth birthday a week ago, he cried because of what the age meant. Most twelfth birthdays are sad ones.

"Not really, we all die someday right? At least the Games would give me a chance to be rich, my family would be well fed if I won."

"What about Zac? Aren't you worried he'll be reaped?"

"Why? I'd just take his place."

That's a point, even if Georgie is reaped I could volunteer for her, she'd be safe. I would volunteer for her, wouldn't I? It's hard to imagine that I wouldn't, but plenty of people don't volunteer for their siblings, maybe when the time comes they're simply too frightened.

Tom carries on his care free attitude towards the Games as we walk home, it take an awful long time, especially as we'll have to walk all the way back into town soon for the actual reaping.

"See you later." Tom smiles at me.

I glare at him.

"Wear something as beautiful as that face." he grins once again and runs into his house before I get a chance to kill him here and now, never mind the Hunger Games, he should be more worried about me.

Everybody is home when I walk in, it's quiet except from my other little sister Helena and Georgie talking. Dad is making bread.

"Hello Fluer." Dad says quietly to me as I walk in, placing my school book on the old wooden table. I'm named after my Mother, who died when Helena was born.

"Hello, has Georgie had a wash ready for the reaping?"

Dad nods, "I drew you a bath as well, and laid out one of your Mother's old dresses."

I love my Dad, how well he's looked after all of us, I was never easy to look after, such a fussy and whiny child, I try to help more now but I have work and school. I can't always help as much as I'd like too.

He understands, that I have a lot and he's grateful. Often I wish mum was around to help us out, when I'm really angry I get annoyed at her for leaving us, which is stupid because she couldn't help dying, she wouldn't have wanted too leave us.

Georgie runs downstairs, throwing her arms around my neck and strangling me, Helena decides she wants attention as well and holds her arms up for a cuddle too. I lift them both up for a second but I have to put them down again because I forget how big they're both getting.

"Hey my special girls, how are you both?"

Georgie doesn't answer, I remember what it was like on my first reaping, knowing that I wasn't safe any more, neither were any of my friends. Tom and I couldn't stand together, I felt tiny standing among all the others, so weak and puny.

"Eat something." I advise her, I felt so sick last time I couldn't eat, later my stomach was hurting so much from not eating I regretted it.

I go up and wash my hair, tying it back into a plait before curling it up into bun to keep it out the way. My hairs is a mix of blonde and brown, my eyes a sparkling green with a few flecks of blue and brown. My eyelashes are long naturally, not like those awful Capitol people who have eyelashes curled up to they're foreheads and coloured. I'm a medium hight, I don't look all that strong but I'm not weak either.

The dress Dad laid out is a crystal blue dress that sticks out around the bottom, hanging just above my knees. It's lows cut, which makes my neck feel too exposed with full length sleeves. It's beautiful and I can imagine my Mother wearing it, her light blonde hair matching it perfectly, her green eyes lighting up the whole outfit, I hug at the dress, wanting it too smell flowery just like Mum did.

It does, it brings tears to my eyes. I wish she was here to make me feel better, promise me that Georgie would be safe today, and Tom would be soon. The shoes are a perfect fit, a darker blue pair with a tiny heel at the back making me looking slightly taller.

Georgie walks in, her dark hair falling loosely down her back, her skirt is a dulled red with a white shirt that is sweet, makes her look no older than ten. I bend down and adjust the skirt so it's straight, pull the collar down on the shirt and I tuck her hair behind her ears.

"I like your hair." she whispers, sounding panicked but hiding it well.

"Do you want me to do yours?" I ask and she nods slowly, I turn her around and slowly plait her hair, making sure to sort out all the knots and be gentle. Then I twirl it up into a bun just like mine and it makes Georgie smile.

"Thanks Fluer, I love it." I pat her head as we go downstairs, Dad looks so sad and I smile reassuringly at him.

"We should get going or we'll be late." I say as cheerily as I can manage, Dad agrees and we head off. I hold Georgie and Helena's hand as we walk all the way down to the reaping.

There, Georgie and I split off from Dad and Helena, who's crying silently. I tell her I'll see her soon. Georgie can't say her name to the registering Capitol person so I say it for her, we have to split off and I give her one last hug.

"Nothing bad is going to happen okay? You're only in there once." I whisper into her ear.

"What about you?" she asks.

"I'll be fine, you know me." She hugs me again and goes to the back.

I see Tom signing in and I wait for him. He looks more worried than before but determined not to show it. A though pops into my head from before.

"What about me? Are you worried about me getting reaped?" I ask, he has no answer. He can't volunteer for me, he can only watch me if I'm reaped. We walk down together.

I'm somewhere in the middle, I feel far too claustrophobic here, I stand to the side, Tom is on the other, standing close to me, if I reached out my arm, and he did the same we could touch we're that close. This settles me, I am not alone.

I concentrate on the film, I hate how it makes us out to be the bad guys, while we were only fighting for our freedom, the Capitol were fighting for power. We are not equal, they think they are more important and better than us, we are disposable and that's why they can make us kill each other. Because we are turning on one another, they are not killing us, it's us against us.

The girls always go first, and all I can see is the bowl of slips, one of them contains Georgie's name, twenty four contain mine. The Capitol woman, one of those people with the weird eyelashes, puts her hand into the bowl and pulls one out nearer the top.

"And our female tribute is... Fleur Damor!"

One clear though forms in my head: At least it's not Georgie.

**One more set of reapings to go now! Hope you liked these- please review! :D **


	4. Reapings- Eleven

**District 11, female**

The reaping. Those words are my first thoughts as my eyes flutter open to stare at my ceiling, I'm paralysed in my bed, knowing that when my feet fit the floor it will be real, that the reaping is starting. For a second, I want to dream a little while longer.

It doesn't get easier each year, if anything, it gets worse. More times my name is in that bowl, once more than last year. Just that one, but only one gets picked every year. It could be me.

"Mia!" Mum yells from down stairs, telling me it's time to get up. She knows what's it's like, she suffered the reaping. Sighing, I sit up slowly, allowing the blood to rush back up to my head, my eyes to adjust to the blast of light it receives from my open window. I never shut it, I like listening to the wind, or even the silence of the night.

Jessie runs into the room, jumping at me around the waist and tugging me into a hug, I stroke her dark mop of hair that's sticking up.

"You'll stay here won't you? Just like I will?" she sucks her thumb like she used to when she was a baby, still pink and cute.

"You're not old enough to be reaped yet Jessie, you're safe."

Her seven year old mind ponders along this problem for a second, scrunching up her freckled nose in wonder. "Are you safe?" she finally asks me.

No.

"Of course."

A smile curls her red lips up as she darts a kiss on my cheek and skips out the room, leaving me to get dressed. The reaping isn't held until the afternoon, on the stage in the middle of 11. Yesterday, a list of all the children that have to be at the reaping were posted, illuminating half of the other children. Myself, and two of my closest friends still have to go today, but no one knows who the person is. The tribute has already been chosen, but it has to be broadcast, since there are too many kids to have in the centre, half are not supposed to be there. Some come to watch brothers and sisters there, standing along side their parents and friends.

I get up, reluctant to go downstairs to see my family, my older sister and brother are both too old for the reaping, but both know how it feels, the not-knowing, the imagination the worst that could happen to you or your friends. I remind myself one more year, that's what helps. After this time there's only one more, then I'm safe. Safe and sound.

Breakfast is happening downstairs, but no one eats much. Tom is sat pretending to be interesting in some rant Dad is spouting out, Bell is stirring her bowl of porridge around moodily, not paying any attention to what's going on, Jessie is sat at the table but pretending to feed her rag doll, Mum is cleaning the surfaces and packing away. When I walk in, everyone stops to stare at me.

"Morning." I say blankly, pulling up a stool to the table. Mum offers to pour me a bowl of porridge, when I refuse she tells me I need a good meal.

"She said she didn't want it!" Dad snaps, Mum turns away and her shoulders shake slightly, I guess she is crying. It's just as hard for her to see me go to the reaping. Jessie announces, "Mum's crying!" And everyone glares at her, she stands up and runs out of the room.

"Settle down Mum, it'll be okay. The odds are in her favour, just seven. Seven out of hundreds. She's one of the safest for her age." Tom says matter-of-factly, trying to help. Tom is smart, quiet and speaks only when needed. Our whole family looks the same, dark thick hair, red lips,deep brown eyes. Except me, I have dark blonde hair, identical to my Grandmother's, with brown eyes like everyone else.

It means I stand out, I have my Mother's nose too people say, but my Mother says that I don't. My Mother wants little to do with my looks at all, she wants to me look like my Grandmother who died years before I was born, Mother loved her dearly.

Everyone is silent for a second, not knowing what to talk about. We can't talk about the reaping, it's too hard, we can't talk about anything that might happen tomorrow because I might not be here, no one wants to talk about themselves.

"It's okay, I'm not that worried." I lie badly, I am worried, just like everybody that will be going to the reaping today.

Tom stares at me, clearing wondering why I would bother to say that, Bell hasn't looked up from her spoon since I walked. Dad frowns like he's puzzled, his forehead creases. I lean back in my chair.

"I'll be back later." I announce to no one particular as I go to walk out of the room Mum calls my name but I carry on and fling open the front door, a wave of heat hits my face full on as I step out, a baking hot day. Today in summer.

Even outside, where few people are usually you can see that something is wrong. I get sympathetic looks, small smiles, a the occupational awkward looking away as I pass people. Kids aren't playing outside today, they're hidden away inside, adults are struggling to work.

No music, no humming, no singing, no whistling. Silence so deafening.

I open my mouth and produce a long high note, mockingjays above me wait then repeat it back to me. Somewhere, on the other side of the road, an young man, old enough to be reaped smiles at me, and adds his own note to my tune. I nod thanks to him for lighting up the air and yell, "May the odds be ever in your favour!"

He stops singing to the birds and replies, "You too."

I carry on, not knowing who he is. Where to go is hard, I decide to go into town, to see my friend who will be at the reaping today too, Rose. She's got no brothers or sisters, she's as safe as you can get like me, only in there seven times today.

I knock on her door, and immediately she opens it. "Let's get out of here."

Her hair is long, curly, big brown eyes and dark skin, skinny like most of us, wearing a long red dress.

"Where shall we go?" I ask, town wouldn't be such a good idea, most shops are closed today.

"Another district, run far far away." she smiles at me with such hope but she knows we can't, we have to stay.

"Rose, you know that-" I start but she cuts me off.

"I know! But let's pretend! Let's dream for a bit!"

_Let's dream for a little while longer. _

I wish I could run away, live in a world of peace, with no Hunger Games. A world or not troubles or war or killing. A world where we have freedom, a world where everyone is happy. A world where I can get a good job, a world where I don't have to worry that I might die every year. A world where I don't have to worry about the future. The future is, and always will be perfect.

What a wonderful dream.

A dream, nothing more.

"We can't pretend Rose."

Rose stares at me, defeated and lost. Tears are welling in her mind, thoughts that she was avoiding must be resurfacing. She clings to me.

"I don't want to go, I don't want to die." she tells me, her voice breaking and swimming with sadness.

"You won't. I promise." I assure her, my own tears threatening to appear if I don't stop this.

"How do you know?" A question I have no answer too, because I don't know she will be all right, what if Rose is chosen and she has to go?

"I would never lie to you." I promise, giving her one last squeezes she releases me from her grip.

She looks into her own eyes, "I had a dream last night." she links her arm into mine and pulls me towards the centre of town.

"Oh yeah?" I ask her, hoping it's happy.

"I dreamt that we went to the reaping and they stopped the Games. They told us no one had to die. It was beautiful. Happiness. That's what I felt, happiness. Pure and sweet. Then I woke up, and all I can feel is sadness, and lost hope and pain. I want to be happy, I want no Games."

"One day they're won't be, one day there'll cancel."

"When?" Rose pleads, sounding younger than Jessie.

"Soon."

After Rose and I talk, I have to go home to get ready, to put on my best outfit and wash. My outfit is simple, if a little small from all these years. A loose long black skirt and a navy velvet top that runs against my skin. I tie my hair back, it reaches my waist now and wear black shoes, washed and shined.

Jessie walks in, her hand closed and outreached to hide something.

"Hey Jessie, what have you got there?" I ask suspiciously, hoping it's not another one of her worms or rocks. I have all of the rocks under my bed from when she gives them too me, she sobs if I throw them away. Jessie grins, showing a gap in her teeth and unfolds her fingers, revealing a beautiful pearl on a piece of thread.

"Jessie!" I gasp out loud, "Where did you get that?"

"Grandma!" she tells me proudly, I stop short of crying.

"You couldn't of Jess, Grandma isn't with us any more." It's then that Mum walks in and smiles at me, tears falling down her cheeks.

"It was your Grandmothers, I meant to give it to Bell but she didn't want it."

"Why?"

"Bell wanted you to have it, Grandma did too. She always wanted a blonde daughter, she would have loved you so much. She does love you." Mum hugs me and kisses the top of my head whispering my little girl into my head.

All my family walk down to the reaping together, Jessie takes my hand and doesn't let go, even though I told her I was safe she's scared, and I bet she doesn't even know why she's scared. When I have to sigh it, I get one hug from everyone, including Tom and we part. The woman asks for my name and I tell her, "Amelia Smith."

I get sent into the crowd and stand with the people my own age, all looking pale and standing in groups. Some hold hands, other give each other hugs and pats. It's late when Rose comes and stands next to me. She takes my hand before whispering, "Good luck." through a husky scared voice.

I don't say it back because it's already started, Clarebell has taken to the stage, introduced quickly by the mare. She tells the history of the Games, the mare should do it but she's not today, her daughter is in the reaping for the first time. I ignore all the words spoken, and look around. Most people are terrified of what is going to happen, it's impossible to be and everyone else is concentrating so I look back to the stage where Clarebell is talking about the storms.

The sky is a clear blue today, not a single cloud. I wish it would rain, that would mean the day was over. A tear slides down Rose's cheek already. The air is frozen as Clarebell's hand dips into the girl bowl and heads to the bottom, rooting around for a name, the name of the tribute.

She finally picks one and walks centre stage, Rose's grip tightens on mine as I try to breath, it comes out rough and raged.

"Our female tribute is..." she pauses and the whole of Eleven is silent, the whole world, everything just stops.

"Amelia Smith."

Four things happen all at once, one is that everyone turns to face me, I hear Rose shriek over other people, confusion hits me first, followed by unimaginable pain.

I feel as though I am drowning, I am sinking deeper and deeper into darkness but I can see the top, and I know I could reach it. If I swim a tiny bit I could have that breathe of air, I could live.

But I cannot swim.

Sound sounds funny too, blurred and fuzzy like it's far away from me and the people are out of reach. I try to take a step forward but Rose holds me back, screaming at me not to go, I try to snatch my hand away but she hold on too tightly to me.

"Rose." I whisper to her, I need her to let go.

A Peacekeeper comes to remove Rose from me, but I walk away from them both so they don't drag me up. I walk slowly, sinking into the dirt like mud, begging the pain to stop.

My head, my ears, my chest, everywhere hurts.

I remember thinking, 'Just kill me now'. Why wait when you have me now? I'm yours, just kill me now. End it all stop the pain.'

But I reach the stage, a locked expression and I'm still alive. Why? Why didn't you?

Because killing me now would stop my pain, and you want it to hurt.

A tear finds it's way from my eye as I look at all the children below me, all safe for another year.

My eyes shut. I just want to dream for a little while longer.

District Eleven Male

"Next!" I yell to the lugger boy, a tiny boy who's struggling to carry the huge heavy bag of wheat. It's almost as big as him and I feel bad for him, his face screwed up as he tries to carry the bag over his shoulder. The supervisor is getting ready with his whip, looking at him like he's an animal.

I quickly take the bag from the boy and whisper, "Try carrying the crates of apples, they're lighter."

He thanks me and runs to get one before we are told off for talking, that used to be my job before I started pulling the wagons. That job gave me strength, muscles as well.

I was lucky, tall and good at carrying I was built for that job, that little boy looks like his bones will snap if he picks up a single apple, let alone a crate.

He obviously wasn't any good at tree climbing, or he'd be working in the orchard at the tree tops, with the rest of the little kids. At least they're too far up to get whipped. Little kids aren't as punished as the adult, adults are less valuable because there are more of them, children are spread out over lots of different jobs.

I've been working since dawn, as today I have to have a few hours off for the reaping I have to get all my work done. I pour the bag of wheat into the wooden wagon on wheels, and pull it over my shoulders to move it. It's a thirty minute journey and it's heavy, this will be my eighth and final journey of today. It's mid day and I have to get ready for the reaping.

When I get there, Andy another boy my age is waiting for me, we're friends.

"You took your time." he says openly, though being late could get me a whipping. Of course, he wouldn't want me to get one, he just says what's on his mind.

"Newbie." I don't say it was a by, or what job he was doing so no one will get punished. We walk together down to the main opening where we spilt, I'll see him at the reaping later.

My parents are both working, only Luke is still in the house, at ten he is too young to work. In a year or so he'll be able too. He hugs me, only reach my stomach with the top of his hair, I'm incredibly tall.

"I don't want you to leave." he mumbles into my clothes.

"I'll come back, it's only for an hour." I lie, because if I'm reaped I'll be gone forever. I add, "And you can always say goodbye to me."

He nods and I pat his dark haired head, his hair is curly.

"I've got to get ready." I tell him and I go upstairs, after a quick wash, I find some decent reaping clothes. Most people wear their nicest outfit when they go to the reaping, it's traditional.

Mum has polished my boots and I wear them, Luke walks down to the reaping with me, half way there I give him a ride on my back, which he loves. Him being reaping is my worse fear, if I am reaped then all I can hope is that makes him safer. Brothers and sisters of tributes are reaped but it happens too often to be odds, losers are not as popular.

At the reaping, I say a quick goodbye to Luke, telling him to go find Mum and Dad as I observe the stage. In the boy's bowl, my name is in there a total of thirty five times, the odds are not in my favour at all. There will be others in there with as many names as me, if not more and there are hundreds of slips. Half of the people do not have to go to the reaping, the names were picked out before hands, so whoever was chosen yesterday name will be on all of those papers.

Even so, when the escort Clarebell sticks her hand into the bowl she spends a good amount of time choosing one at the bottom. Everyone is silent as she reads out the name, "Amelia Smith!"

I know the girl, Amy, seventeen. She works in the same place as me, short with a mop of dark blonde hair. Her friend, who I can't remember the name off screams out at her, making a huge panic. It's not unusual, she is as good as dead.

When the girl makes her way up, no one volunteers for her, this is not unusual. Once again Clarebell sinks her hand into the bowl and pulls out the male slip.

Amy turns to face Clarebell, a tear rolling down her cheek. I feel sorry for her.

Not quite as sorry for her as I am for myself when my name is read out.

* * *

**Reapings are done! Hope you liked them- please review! :D**


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